Taranaki Daily News

The power of being un-PC

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Thank goodness there are still characters like Duane Trafford in our country.

If you missed his story, the Central Otago back country pest controller hit the headlines this week for a job ad offering ‘‘a bloody job’’ for ‘‘non whingers’’. Amongst those asked not to apply were those ‘‘having a mid-life crisis who just want out of their office’’.

After his Trade Me listing made the news applicatio­ns swelled and he fielded dozens of queries and applicatio­ns. It looks like he’ll have no trouble filling his roster of possumers.

His advertisin­g was a success and it was because it was so unpolitica­lly correct - including gems such as: ’’They need to understand that the job doesn’t mean you get to drive around on QUADS all day and shoot s**t.... you actually have to walk....and the walking involves HILLS!’’ And: ‘‘They need to understand that there’s NO internet...no cell coverage...no breaks....and most of all NO WHINGING!!!!!’’

Political correctnes­s is a funny concept and it changes as the social values that it represents change. Political correctnes­s is, in a way, the extreme manifestat­ion of a society’s values.

A politicall­y correct position often stems from a solid moral starting point, but which is then taken too far, so that fear of offending that value, through any action, word or, sometimes it even feels, thought.

So, it is always easy to admire the non-PC. They are people brave enough to put their head above the parapet and say ‘‘I don’t really care what society thinks, I think they’re wrong’’.

Being non-PC is different from being offensive - but it still takes bravery.

In this case, the political correctnes­s Trafford is railing against stems from good motives - protecting the rights of workers to be treated fairly by their employers. An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay is the ideal that works for both employer and employee.

In times past, the scales tipped in favour of the employers and the issues this caused are arguably rectified. Unfortunat­ely, the politicall­y correct extreme of these measures have led to a situation where, when employers are left accepting a dishonest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, they feel unable to say or do much about it.

There will be some who congratula­te Trafford for his approach, others who condemn him for it. But, like it or not, his advert appealed because it stood up to the extremes and said ‘‘I don’t think your way is right’’. And as long as his employees are treated within the boundaries of the law there’s nothing wrong with that. It not only takes a bit of bravery to do that - bravery that will earn him plenty of respect and agreeing nods - it looks like he’ll get the result he wanted too.

That’s the power of being unPC. - Ryan Evans - Editor

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